Some time ago, at a charter school near you, I went to enroll a foster child, let’s call her ”Keasha.” She needed a good school; that was smaller and more personalized. Brushing aside my lack of legal authority, we asked the receptionist for an application. She explained that the school may not have any spots,…
The Rhetorical War on Public Schools from the Left and Right
Political language… is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind. George Orwell Words matter. What we call something affects public support for it. Is a medical meeting, “end of life counseling” or a “death panel”, the descriptions matter So it’s not a coincidence,…
Beyond “Safe” Spaces for LGBTQ Students, the State, the School, and You
Recent events echo, and remind us of the hate directed against the LGBTQ community, while quieter pain, often equally devastating and more widespread permeates the halls of most schools. Schools need to be safe places for every child and they aren’t. You can check the stats, LGBT high school students report hearing an average of…
How Oakland Unified Graduates Left Over $16 Million on the Table and What We Can Do
Educational Policy is too often about promises and pledges with few delivered results. Amidst the best intentions, everything comes down to implementation. And if last year’s FAFSA submission rate is any indicator, Oakland Unified has a lot of work to do, as only 45% of seniors completed one. You know the FAFSA, the form that…
Principals Get Right What Politics Got Wrong in SF
Working in education is tough because politicians who make the rules don’t have to play by them. Case and point, SF Unified rejected a low cost contract for Teach for America that would have placed intern teachers in some of the most hard to staff schools. This situation and the ongoing teacher shortage was described…